03/14/13State Board of Education Finalizes Adoption of Pennsylvania Common Core State Academic Standards and High School Graduation Requirements
Marketwatch (03/14/13)The Pennsylvania State Board of Education has adopted new regulations that will implement the Pennsylvania Common Core Standards in English language arts and math in all public schools by July 1, 2013. The standards, similar to the nationwide Common Core State Standards initiative, were tailored to the needs of the state's students, and the state adopted its own assessments. The regulations also require students to demonstrate proficiency on a Keystone Exam, validated local assessment, or a comparable Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate exam. Additionally, the board adopted the final implementation schedule for the end-of-course Keystone Exams, which are required for graduation. In order to graduate, students in the Class of 2017 will have to pass three Keystone Exams (algebra I, biology, and literature), the Class of 2019 will have to pass four Keystone Exams (algebra I, biology, literature, and composition), and the Class of 2020 and beyond will have to pass five Keystone Exams (algebra I, biology, literature, composition, and civics and government). A new Keystone Exam will be added every year beginning in 2016-17 with geometry, followed by U.S. history, algebra II, chemistry, and world history. According to State Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis, "The Keystone Exams will ensure that students are graduating high school with the necessary skills and academic credentials that are needed to be successful in college and the workforce. Our students deserve to know that they are being provided with a high-quality education that will make them globally competitive."
